It's the masked pumpkin, Charlie Brown

October 7, 2020 2:25 PM

As autumn has descended on the Northern Hemisphere, giant pumpkins and other cucurbitae have been (or about to be) hauled to the weigh scales. Fall fairs and competitions have had to adapt to the pandemic by holding virtual, live-streamed, and socially-distanced weigh-offs. This year, the state record in Utah was smashed. In Germany, the national record remains intact despite an impressive Bavarian effort. In Canada, a 1,939.5-pound monster almost broke the national record, while in tangentially related news, divers in Manitoba took pumpkins underwater for a carving and clean-up event. This is also an annual tradition among Finger Lakes divers in New York state.

Previously in pumpkins:

Pumpkins! 🎃 Pumpkins! 🎃 Pumpkins! 🎃 Facts! 🎃 Recipes! 🎃 More!

It's competitive gourd season, motherf**kers

The Truly Great Pumpkin!!!

posted by mandolin conspiracy (7 comments total)

Carving pumpkins underwater is trickier than it may seem

Oh no, it seems PLENTY TRICKY.
posted by jessamyn at 3:11 PM on October 7, 2020 [1 favorite]

And yet, sold out in cans today on the weekly grocery shopping day...
posted by Windopaene at 3:13 PM on October 7, 2020

Oh no, it seems PLENTY TRICKY.

Keeping the candle lit is probably the hardest part.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 3:40 PM on October 7, 2020

I've been working in a fancy-pants garden center this past summer. It is pumpkin season. We get some really big ones, but of course nothing like these. I find them fascinating. Seeing the dried out stems makes me wonder what the living plant itself looks like! The vines have to be enormously thick, and I wonder what the overall size of a plant like that is like? What is the stem size at its base, just above the roots?

We have a planted garden area. It includes some sunflowers which were around 12 feet tall, easily. We had to remove some of them, and I assisted in cutting through and removing the base. It's like a sapling tree at the bottom, and covered with spines. It had to be hacked at and sawn through. The stems and leaves are covered with spines, too, which really irritate your skin, so gloves and long sleeves are strongly recommended.

I love plants.
posted by SoberHighland at 3:44 PM on October 7, 2020 [1 favorite]

okay but why are grocery stores so slow to bring out the pumpkin spice goods, I have basic needs to fulfill
posted by one for the books at 3:50 PM on October 7, 2020 [1 favorite]

Seeing the dried out stems makes me wonder what the living plant itself looks like! The vines have to be enormously thick, and I wonder what the overall size of a plant like that is like?

You might enjoy this:

"Time lapse of a growing giant pumpkin that is also entered in a pumpkin boat regatta and wins!"

From seed to...sea, I guess?
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 8:17 AM on October 8, 2020 [1 favorite]

Can recommend Lords of the Gourd for people who like to learn more about these eccentric farmers. I think it's better than Bill's Big Pumpkins and I haven't seen Rise of Giants yet.
posted by jessamyn at 11:26 AM on October 8, 2020